Proxy Not Working: Troubleshooting Issues and Solutions in 5 Minutes for Arbitrage and SMM

You set up the proxy in Dolphin Anty, launched the profile — and received a connection error. Or the Facebook Ads account suddenly got blocked, even though everything was working yesterday. Proxy issues can cost you money: dropped ad campaigns, blocked Instagram accounts, missed deadlines on client projects.

In this guide, we will examine all the typical reasons why a proxy stops working and show a step-by-step diagnosis for arbitrage specialists, SMM professionals, and marketplace sellers. No technical jargon — just practical solutions that work in 95% of cases.

Symptoms of a Non-Working Proxy: How to Understand That the Problem is with the Proxy

Before starting the diagnosis, it is important to ensure that the problem is indeed with the proxy and not with the platform or anti-detect browser itself. Here are typical signs of proxy issues:

If you observe at least one of these signs, the problem is very likely with the proxy. However, it is important to rule out other causes:

A simple way to check: try opening the same profile without the proxy (temporarily disable it in the settings). If everything works — the problem is definitely with the proxy. If the error persists — check the settings of the anti-detect browser or your internet connection.

Basic Check: 3 Steps Before Deep Diagnosis

Before delving into the settings, check three basic things. Statistically, 60% of proxy issues are resolved at this stage.

Step 1: Check Proxy Validity

The most common reason for sudden disconnection is that the paid period has expired. Log into your proxy provider's personal account and check:

• Subscription expiration date — if it expired yesterday, the proxy is no longer working
• Account balance — if auto-renewal is enabled, the payment may not have gone through
• Proxy status — some providers show "Active" / "Suspended"

This is especially relevant for mobile proxies with daily payments — it's easy to forget to renew, and then wonder why all Instagram accounts stopped opening.

Step 2: Check Internet Connection

It sounds trivial, but if you have internet issues, the proxy won't work either. Open a regular browser (Chrome, Firefox) without the proxy and check:

• Do websites open (try google.com, facebook.com)
• What is the connection speed (run speedtest.net)
• Are there any connection drops (ping 8.8.8.8 in the command line)

If your internet is unstable, the proxy connection will drop even more frequently — the proxy adds an additional node in the chain through which the traffic flows.

Step 3: Test the Proxy with an Online Checker

The quickest way to understand if the proxy is working at all is to check it through a special service. You don't need to set up the browser, just enter the proxy data on the website:

What to look for in the test results:

If the checker showed that the proxy works, but there is still an error in Dolphin Anty or AdsPower — move on to the next sections of the diagnosis. The problem lies in the settings of the specific tool.

Typical Connection Errors and Their Meaning

Anti-detect browsers and other programs show different error messages. Here is a breakdown of the most common ones and what to do about them.

"ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED" or "Failed to Connect to Proxy Server"

This means that the browser tried to connect to the proxy but did not receive a response. Possible reasons:

• Incorrect IP address or port — check for typos. The IP should be in the format 123.45.67.89, the port — a number from 1 to 65535 (usually 8000-9000 or 1080)
• Proxy server is down — the provider may have temporarily taken the server offline for maintenance. Check the status on the provider's website or contact support
• Firewall blocks the connection — antivirus or Windows firewall may block outgoing connections to the proxy. Try temporarily disabling the protection
• Your IP is not whitelisted — some providers require binding your IP address. Log into your personal account and add your current IP to the allowed list

"ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED" or "Tunneling Error"

This error appears when the proxy connects but cannot establish a secure HTTPS connection with the target site. This is typical when working with Facebook Ads, Instagram, banking sites.

• Proxy does not support HTTPS — old or cheap HTTP proxies cannot work with secure sites. Solution: switch to HTTPS or SOCKS5 proxy
• Proxy is overloaded — too many users are simultaneously using this IP. Try switching to another proxy from your pool
• The target site blocks the proxy — Facebook or Instagram recognized that you are accessing through a proxy and terminated the connection. You need a higher quality proxy (residential or mobile)

"407 Proxy Authentication Required" or "Authorization Required"

The proxy server requires a username and password, but you either did not enter them or entered them incorrectly.

• Authorization is not enabled — in the Dolphin Anty/AdsPower settings, there is a checkbox "Use Authorization" or a field "Username/Password". Make sure it is enabled
• Incorrect input format — some browsers require entering the username and password in separate fields, others — in the format login:password. Check the documentation of your anti-detect browser
• Password contains special characters — if the password has @, :, / or other characters, they may conflict with the format of the proxy string. Ask the provider to change the password to alphanumeric

"ERR_SOCKS_CONNECTION_FAILED" for SOCKS5 Proxy

You set up a SOCKS5 proxy, but the browser cannot connect through it.

• Incorrect protocol type selected — the settings specify HTTP instead of SOCKS5 (or vice versa). Check what type of proxy the provider provided
• SOCKS5 requires authorization — even if the provider said "no password", try entering any username/password (sometimes servers are configured strangely)
• Different port for SOCKS5 — providers often give different ports for HTTP and SOCKS5. For example, HTTP on port 8000, SOCKS5 on 1080. Check in your personal account

Proxy Diagnostics in Dolphin Anty and AdsPower

Anti-detect browsers are the main tool for arbitrage specialists and SMM professionals. Let's break down how to properly check proxy settings in the most popular solutions.

Checking Proxy in Dolphin Anty

Dolphin Anty has a built-in proxy checking function. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open the profile list — the main screen of Dolphin Anty
2. Find the problematic profile — click on the three dots to the right of the name
3. Select "Edit" — the profile settings will open
4. Go to the "Proxy" tab — the current data is displayed here
5. Click the "Check Proxy" button — Dolphin will attempt to connect and show the result

What the check results mean:

Checking Proxy in AdsPower

In AdsPower, the process is similar, but there are nuances:

1. Edit the profile — click on the profile line
2. "Proxy Settings" tab — enter the proxy data here
3. "Check Proxy" button — starts the connection test
4. Check the result in the status bar — AdsPower shows IP, proxy type, response time

Features of AdsPower:

• Support for string format — you can paste the proxy in one line: http://user:pass@123.45.67.89:8000. Convenient for bulk import
• Auto-detection of type — AdsPower tries to automatically determine whether it's HTTP or SOCKS5. But it's better to specify it manually
• WebRTC check — after testing the proxy, AdsPower shows whether your real IP is "leaking" through WebRTC. If yes — enable the "Disable WebRTC" option

Checking Proxy in Multilogin and GoLogin

In Multilogin and GoLogin, there is no built-in proxy check button. Instead:

• Launch the profile — if the proxy does not work, the browser will show an error immediately
• Open 2ip.ru or whoer.net — check what IP is displayed. It should be the proxy IP, not your real one
• Check geolocation — if you set up a proxy from the USA, but the site shows Russia — the proxy is not connected

If Multilogin shows an error when launching, but the online checker says the proxy works — the problem is in the input format. Multilogin requires URL format: socks5://username:password@123.45.67.89:1080. Pay attention to the protocol prefix (http://, socks5://).

Login and Password Issues: Why the Proxy Rejects Authorization

Authorization errors are the second most common reason for proxy issues after incorrect IP/port. Let's break down all the nuances.

Special Characters in Password

If the provider generated a password like MyP@ss:word#123, the characters @, : and # can break the format of the proxy string.

Problematic characters:

• @ (at sign) — used to separate authorization and address in URL format
• : (colon) — separates username and password, IP and port
• / (slash) — may be interpreted as part of the URL path
• Spaces — are generally not allowed in proxy strings

Case Sensitivity in Username and Password

Most proxy servers are case-sensitive. If the provider gave the username User123, and you entered user123 — authorization will fail.

Tip: copy the username and password directly from the provider's personal account, do not retype them manually. If copying is not possible (for example, the password is hidden with asterisks), use the "Show password" function before copying.

Invisible Characters When Copying

When copying from PDF instructions, Excel tables, or emails, invisible spaces, line breaks, or control characters may be added.

How to check and fix:

1. Copy the username and password into a regular text editor (Notepad in Windows, TextEdit in macOS)
2. Check for spaces at the beginning or end of the line
3. Ensure that the username and password are on one line (not broken by line breaks)
4. Copy from the text editor into the proxy settings

IP Authorization Instead of Username/Password

Some providers (especially mobile proxies) offer IP authorization. This means:

• You add your current IP to the whitelist in your personal account
• The proxy allows connections only from this IP
• Username and password are not needed (leave the fields empty in the browser settings)

Problem: if your IP address changes (dynamic IP from your internet provider), the proxy will stop working. You will see an authorization error, even though the username and password are not used at all.

IP Address and Port: Errors in Connection Settings

Even one incorrect digit in the IP address or port makes the proxy non-functional. Let's break down common mistakes.

Typos in IP Address

An IP address consists of four numbers from 0 to 255, separated by dots. Examples of correct IPs:

• 192.168.1.1 (local network)
• 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS)
• 185.230.61.45 (typical proxy)

Typical mistakes:

Always copy the IP address from the provider's personal account, do not retype it manually. If copying is not possible — double-check each digit.

Incorrect Port

The port is a number from 1 to 65535 that indicates which "channel" the proxy server operates on. Typical ports for proxies:

• 8080, 8000, 3128 — HTTP proxies
• 1080 — SOCKS5 proxies
• 9000-9999 — often used by commercial providers

Common mistakes:

• IP and port are swapped — instead of 185.230.61.45:8000, entered 8000:185.230.61.45
• Port specified for another protocol — the provider gives HTTP on port 8000, SOCKS5 on 1080, but you selected SOCKS5 and specified port 8000
• Extra characters — for example, 8000/ or :8000 (colon at the beginning)

Confusion Between Host and IP Address

Some providers give a domain name (hostname) instead of an IP address. For example:

• proxy.example.com:8000
• us-mobile-1.proxyprovider.net:9000

This is normal and works just like an IP address. But it is important:

• Do not add http:// at the beginning — enter only the domain name
• Ensure that DNS is working — if your internet provider blocks DNS, domain names will not resolve. Try pinging the host in the command line: ping proxy.example.com
• Some anti-detect browsers do not support hosts — in this case, find out the IP address using the command nslookup proxy.example.com and use it

Issues on the Proxy Provider's Side

Sometimes you do everything right, but the proxy still does not work. The reason may be on the provider's side.

Technical Work or Server Outage

The provider may be conducting technical work or experiencing a server outage. Check the provider's website or contact their support for updates.

Proxy Server Overload

If too many users are connected to the same proxy, it may become overloaded and slow down or stop responding. Consider switching to a different proxy or provider.

Quality of the Proxy

Ensure that you are using a high-quality proxy. Free or low-cost proxies often lead to connection issues and bans on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

When the Proxy Works, but the Platform Blocks: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Sometimes the proxy may be functioning correctly, but the platform itself may block access. This is common with social media platforms that have strict security measures.

In such cases, consider using residential or mobile proxies, which are less likely to be detected and blocked by platforms.

Proxy Connects, but is Slow: Speed Diagnosis

If the proxy connects but is slow, there are several factors to consider:

• Check your internet connection speed — a slow connection on your end will affect the proxy's performance.
• Consider the distance between you and the proxy server — a proxy located far away may introduce latency.
• Check for any bandwidth limitations imposed by your provider.

Diagnosis Checklist: Step-by-Step Problem-Solving Algorithm

Use this checklist to systematically diagnose and resolve proxy issues:

1. Check the validity of the proxy subscription and account balance.
2. Verify your internet connection and speed.
3. Test the proxy with an online checker.
4. Review the settings in your anti-detect browser.
5. Consult the provider’s support if issues persist.

Prevention: How to Avoid Proxy Problems in the Future

To minimize future proxy issues, consider the following tips:

• Regularly check your proxy subscription status and renew it in advance.
• Use high-quality proxies from reputable providers.
• Keep your anti-detect browser updated to avoid compatibility issues.
• Monitor your internet connection for stability.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting proxy issues can be straightforward if you follow a systematic approach. By understanding the common problems and their solutions, you can ensure a smoother experience with your proxy settings.